Running With The Devil
by NorthernDownpour01
Summary: Belle and Gold begin to plan their lives together after their battle against Ebony Shadow had concluded. Storybrooke Metropolis, however, housed something much more evil than anything in their wildest dreams. Nothing could prepare Operation Scorpian for what they were about to face. Sequel to City Of The Angels.
1. Chapter 1

"Do you have a verdict?"

Everyone was on their feet, the small courtroom packed. Belle French, Storybrooke Metropolis' Assistant District Attorney, had been waiting three days for a jury to come back with a verdict. Her blue eyes watched nervously as the foreman walked over and handed the judge a slip of paper. Unable to keep still, a small hand smoothed back a flyway piece of chestnut hair before smoothing them down her crisp navy pants suit.

Next to her, David Nolan, Storybrooke's District Attorney, grasped her elbow to steady her. His boyishly handsome features were trained straight ahead on the Judge and he exuded a cool, charming kind of confidence.

"In the matter of Mills versus the State, the jury finds the defendant guilty on all counts-"

The court room erupted in noise. Belle and David shared a celebratory hug as the judge banged his gavel loudly in order to regain control.

"-And recommends a sentence of time served and a mandatory ten year probationary period."

"What?!" Ruby's voice rang out from the gallery, echoing Belle's thoughts exactly. Next to her Regina smirked, her dark brown eyes trained on Belle. "

"Congratulations," Regina sauntered over to them, smug as ever. "You must be so happy that justice was served today."

"This isn't over, Regina," David said fiercely, his blue eyes blazing.

"Oh I think it is. If you attempt a rematch you will suffer the same fate of the grandmother and traitor. Do not test me."

Belle was shaking with rage as Regina walked out, Mel Vincent at her side, her head held high.

"Let it go, Belle," David put his hand on her shoulder. "We'll get her, but not today."

Belle strode from the court room, shaking David off her. Nothing was going to make today feel like justice for Granny or Ryan. It was bad enough they couldn't bring Regina to justice for their deaths without exposing Operation Scorpion and all its members, but was now made worse by Regina getting away with the lesser charges they had brought against her.

She stopped in the lobby, watching for a moment as Regina got into a car, leaving Mal standing on the sidewalk. David followed her out to handle the press, allowing her a moment to make a phone call.

"Gold," Rush Gold's voice was sharp as ever on the other end of the line.

"She walked," Belle said without preamble. She could already feel some of the tension leaving her with the sound of her fiancés voice.

Fiancé. She couldn't help but smile a little at the word. They had started off badly, her desperately trying to get a word with him, him lying to her about his identity as The Trickster in an attempt to bring Regina down for keeping his son from him. Now he had Balfour, friends, and her. She liked to think she was a good catch.

"Well that's unfortunate," he said darkly. "What did David say?"

"That we would get her."

There was a pause on his end for a moment. "That we will. Belle, I need to call you back. Duty calls."

Belle sighed. "I understand. I'll just see you at home."

"That you will. I love you, dearest."

"Love you too." She pocketed her phone, glad to see the reporters packing up. Her two favorites, Ruby and Mary Margaret, were both hanging around, waiting for her.

"We'll get her," Ruby said immediately, looking sexier than any television reporter had the right to in a scarlet red suit, her dark brown hair tumbling around her shoulders in casual waves.

"I know," Belle breathed out, feeling more relaxed having spoken with Gold.

"We need to build some kind of underground fortress to keep her in," Mary Margaret joked, sweeping her black bangs out of her eyes. She couldn't have looked more opposite of Ruby if she had tried in a demure white dress and pixie short haircut.

"Gold might have one, we should ask," Ruby joked as they made their way out into the biting cold.

"If he does, I don't know about it." Belle kept her face completely straight.

"Well I would want to know if my fiancé had a kink dungeon buried somewhere under his home. And I would want keys to it." Ruby giggled.

"You know Gold is the type of man who likes to be tied up, Belle have you ever-"

"Oh no!" Belle cut Mary Margaret off. "We are not having this conversation. No. No no no."

Ruby and Mary Margaret kept watching her expectantly, waiting for an answer.

"Belle!" Ruby said sharply with anticipation. "We tell you everything!"

"Share!" Mary Margaret added.

Belle just smiled and shrugged with exaggeration. "He's a man who enjoys a lot of things."

"Knew it!" Ruby laughed, bumping into Belle's shoulder.

Gold was not happy to be interrupted, especially by Regina, who walked into his office unannounced. He got off the phone but not before telling his soon to be wife that he loved her. Regina rolled her eyes but otherwise did not make a sound.

"What brings you by, Regina?" Gold asked with his usual bite.

"I need your help," Regina said, sitting in one of his chairs. Gold leaned forward, keeping his face impassive. "I want to make a deal. Like old times, before you went soft."

"How convincing," He murmured, his eyes trained on her face. "It's easy to see how you continued to win elections."

"Can we skip the usual witty banter and just get on with it?" She snapped. "I am in no mood for your games today."

"I hear you had a close call," he settled back into his chair comfortably, still watching her with an intensity that would make anyone else uncomfortable.

"Hardly. I wasn't spending another minute behind bars and if your pathetic girlfriend and Prince Charming thought otherwise they were highly deluded."

"Fiancée." It was Gold's turn to snap.

"Well remind me to send my congratulations," Regina shot back sarcastically. "Do you want to hear the terms of my deal or not?"

"By all means."

"I want you to call off your band of merry idiots in exchange for the information I am about to give you. My mother has a man who can bring the dead back to life."

"Impossible," Gold scoffed. Regina shook her head, her arrogance replaced by legitimate fear. "I've seen it."

"At what cost?"

"They're like zombies. Horrible, mindless creatures and she's building an army of them. She wants to take over the city." "How does she plan to do that?"

"Killing anyone who gets in her way."

"Why should I believe anything you say?"

"Read my mind. If I'm lying you'll know, but I'm not. She has the bodies of Ginny Lucas and Ryan Hood."

Gold stopped foraging through Regina's mind and immediately thought of Belle. What would she do if she saw Ryan or Granny standing in front of her, seemingly alive? Would she be able to allow either one of them to die a second time? She was still getting over his death now, six months later.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I can't stop her; she's too powerful. Maybe you can."

"I'm not interested in another war," Gold said dismissively.

"Well you have one whether you want it or not. Think I was bad? She will destroy us all and she will do it without a moment's hesitation."

"I can't guarantee you your safety," he warned.

"Just keep them away from me. Mother won't harm me."

Gold watched Regina get up and walk out of his office with mixed feelings. If what she said was true, and he wasn't entirely certain it was, they were about to have a very big problem on their hands. Regina was skilled at half- truths and showing him what she wanted him to see. Cora bringing people back to life for her own purposes certainly was worth investigating but it was not worth granting Regina amnesty.

He knew nothing would convince Operation Scorpion, as they were now known, to spare Regina. What would Belle say if he came to her and asked for Regina's life? He turned away, disgusted with himself for even thinking it. If Belle knew the whole truth, why he actually wanted Regina brought down, how he really knew her, Belle never would have agreed to marry him. He had hoped Emma Swan would have killed Regina. He had never counted on the good of these people and their capacity for compassion and mercy. It was his own short sightedness that allowed Regina to be walking the streets of Storybrooke today, and both he and Regina knew it. Regina had banked on it. He should have bought the jury and locked her away for the rest of her life.

Another mistake.

Still, he had never agreed to her deal, something she had not noticed. He had no intention of intervening if one of his own decided on some vigilante justice. It was tempting to plant the idea in David Nolan's head and let him do the dirty work for Gold.

He sighed. It was nearly time to close up shop and head home but he was leaving now. Suddenly he wanted nothing more than to see Belle's smiling, beautiful face, hear her sweet voice telling him whatever silliness she had gotten into that day. She was untroubled; she was good and just sitting next to her in silence made him feel better. It was the same way he felt about his twelve year old son Balfour. He had somehow managed to have the most amazing family, and he wanted to keep them. His secrets staying secrets were imperative to keeping them. He would set the world on fire before he lost them.

Belle had left Ruby and Mary Margaret outside Ruby's diner and drove to the private school Bae attended to pick him up. This had become their routine in the months since she had agreed to marry Bae's father. Bae and her were close but knew very little about each other. If she was going to be his step mother she wanted to rectify that. Picking him up from school was the solution. The drive home allowed her to hear what he did that day. He would talk about teachers and subjects he liked and disliked, his friends, girls, music, whatever was on his mind at the time. He was so much like his father and yet so unlike him at the same time.

"Hey!" Bae beamed as he climbed into the passenger seat.

"Hey yourself," Belle smiled as she began the drive home. "How was school?"

Bae immediately launched into a blow by blow of his day, sparing her no detail. Belle listened, occasionally asking a question when his silence prompted it. Bae was more than happy to do most of the work in their conversation which was a welcome distraction from her blow in the court room today.

"Belle?" Bae asked suddenly.

"Bae?"

"Can I spend the night at a friend's house tonight?"

She pulled into Gold's massive driveway as she considered his question. Despite their relationship, she had no real authority over him and they both knew it. What she did have was power over his father. Gold never told Belle no, so if Bae was asking her it meant he wanted Belle to ask his father for him.

"I'll ask your Dad," she promised, smiling as he dashed out of the car to begin packing an overnight bag. Belle herself was still smiling when she found Gold standing in the kitchen, brooding over the sink. His suit jacket was tossed casually over a chair and his tie was slightly loosened.

"You're home early," she said, snaking her arms around his middle and resting her head on his back.

"You sounded like you needed me here," he told her softly, turning around so he could pull her into a hug.

"Bae had it covered." She relaxed into his chest, breathing him in.

"I'm sure he did," Gold chuckled, kissing the top of her head.

"Speaking of Bae..."

Gold groaned. "What trouble has the lad gotten into this time?"

"No trouble. He wants to spend the night at a friend's house tonight. He asked me if it was all right..."

"Bernard is gone for the week," Gold told her as he pulled away. Belle frowned. She knew he was gone; she had driven him to the airport herself, "If Bae leaves we'll be home. By ourselves. Alone."

"Gross Dad," Bae rolled his eyes as he walked into the kitchen, dropping a packed duffle bag on the floor.

"Who is this friend?" Gold ignored his sons comment as Belle turned her back to the boys, giggling quietly.

"Nick Zimmer. You met him, remember?"

"That boy who got caught stealing?" Gold asked sternly.

"Daad..." Bae started to protest.

"I don't like you hanging around criminals. You're better than that."

"Everyone makes mistakes," Bae said, setting his jaw in defiance. Belle was watching them square off against each other. "Haven't you made mistakes ever?"

Gold paused, narrowing his eyes at his young son. Belle placed a hand gently on his shoulder and winked at Bae. "You should let him go. The stealing incident was several years ago. Nick seems like a good kid."

Gold closed his eyes for a moment before looking at his son again. "Fine, but I will be driving you. If I get even an inkling you are doing anything...unsavory...I will lock you somewhere that makes Rapunzel's tower seem reasonable. Do you understand me?"

"Yes Dad," Bae said promptly. He picked up his duffle bag and looked at his Dad expectantly.

"Have fun!" Belle said cheerfully, kissing both boys on the cheek before walking out of the room. She could hear them talking with each other as she made her way towards the spiraling stair case that led to the bedroom she shared with Gold. It had been such a long day; she needed the quiet of her bedroom.

Once shut behind the large wooden doors, Belle flopped down face first onto their bed. The day was weighing heavily on her and more than anything she needed a distraction. Her conversation with Ruby and Mary Margaret popped into her mind causing her to roll over onto her back. She had scarves. Maybe tying Gold up and having her way with him was exactly the kind of distraction she needed.

She sprang up to rifle through the closet when her phone buzzed in her back pocket. She casually grabbed it as she pushed through hangers to find the scarves she kept for winter occasions and then stopped dead. The name on her phone screen was impossible.

Ryan was dead.

Emma Swan had had the world's longest day and it wasn't even over. She had run by her shared apartment with Mary Margaret to grab something to eat and switch out the boots she was wearing. The Regina case had mentally exhausted her along with the physically exhausting demands of everyday life as Sheriff. It had caused her to put her would be romance with Jefferson on the back burner and she refused to even contemplate August Wayne Booth's possible attraction to her. She wasn't her friends. Belle, Mary Margaret, and Ruby all seemed so skilled at making a relationship stick but Emma wasn't like that. There was no point in trying, either. All that accomplished was heart break, something she had little interest in.

It was also worth noting that she was still a little burned from Graham's untimely death. She had had feelings for him, even sharing a kiss down at the station before Regina slaughtered him. Regina destroyed everything she touched, Emma thought bitterly as she pulled her boots on.

The whole city could go to hell.

She pulled the door open to go back to work but stopped dead.

"Graham?!"

Graham stood at her door, his fist raised to knock, his eyes confused. "Emma..." His voice was gravelly, his skin sheet white. "Emma...help me."

Belle left the house driving a hundred miles a minute. It never occurred to her to call anyone and tell them where she was going. She needed to see, to know that it was a fluke, someone playing a horrific joke on her.

She had convinced Gold to keep Ryan's apartment for her, even though it was empty. She had stored all his belongings but she hadn't been able to let go. She swore when she got there she would let him sell it. This had gone on long enough.

Belle practically ran up the four flights of stairs to Ryan's old apartment. Her hand shook as she put the key into the lock and walked in.

"Ryan?" She called out hesitantly, looking around.

"Belle?"

Belle spun around so fast her hair hit her in the face. Ryan was standing in the doorway looking confused. Belle didn't care. She launched herself into his arms, hugging tightly.

"I'm so sorry. Ryan, I'm sorry."

Ryan pushed her back with enough force to slam her into a wall across the room. "Don't touch me," he snarled. "I'm a monster."

Belle pushed her hair away from her tear stained face.

"What happened to you?"

Cora had a problem.

Bringing the dead to life had seemed such a good plan in theory. She had trained them for months, preparing them for the moment they would be unleashed on the city, ready to do her bidding. What she hadn't counted on was them retaining their personalities before death. They struggled with their loss of humanity, they mourned for the loss of their loved ones.

They staged a coup.

In retrospect, Cora supposed she should have had a stronger hand with them. Should have instilled a stronger sense of fear. Should not have left Hook in charge of them.

Now several of them were missing. Graham, Ryan, her daughter's old flame Daniel, Granny. All dangerous and looking for help. She knew the inept band of heroes would be tripping all over themselves to offer it. Assuming they weren't killed before they got the chance.

That, Cora decided as she went looking for her missing undead, would be decidedly helpful.

Convincing Ryan to come with her had been difficult and had resulted in several more violent outbursts. Belle had healed anything broken but left the bruises. She didn't want to lose her stamina before she got Ryan to their hideout.

The house was eerily quiet and on their way down Ryan only smashed one vase. Belle considered that progress.

The lair was chaos. Gold was there looking vicious as he stood over a chained up Graham. Emma was huddled in a chair, hugging her knees and sporting an ugly black eye. Ruby was hysterically sobbing while Archie tried to awkwardly comfort her. Jefferson and David were struggling to restrain Granny, who was giving them both a run for their money. Belle paused at the scene, unsure how to react, but Ryan immediately lashed out, slamming his arm against her, causing her to hit the concrete wall behind her and shattering several ribs in the process. She barely had time to time to register the pain when an inhuman roar met her ears and Ryan began clawing at his throat.

"NO!" She screamed frantically, ignoring the pain in her sides and throwing herself at Gold. "LET HIM GO! STOP IT YOU'LL KILL HIM!"

Gold let go of Ryan to stare at Belle. August took advantage and chained Ryan to the wall.

"Belle," Gold's eyes were roaming over her face, black with fury. "He's already dead."

"No he's not and if you hurt him I will never forgive you!" She said desperately.

He took a step back looking as if she had slapped him. Belle focused on her ribs, sinking to the ground and holding her chest tightly. She could feel her bones knitting together, the pain giving her something to focus on. She didn't want to look at Ryan or Gold. Her guilt was starting to gnaw at her.

"What's happening?" Mary Margaret finally demanded once Granny was secured and no longer thrashing. Everyone was staring at Gold, desperate for answers. He shook his head."

"I'm not entirely sure how this is possible," he finally answered.

Belle wiped her eyes on the back of her hand, ignoring the look of heartbreak on Gold's face, and scooted closer to Ryan.

"Who did this to you? What happened to you?"

He lunged at her again and in an instant Gold had her scooped into his arms.

"Are they safe here tonight?" David asked, eyeing the chains.

"If they manage to break through the chains, the fortress is impenetrable," Gold told him as he stroked Belle's hair.

"Let's get out of here. Regroup," David said, helping Emma to her feet. Slowly they all climbed into the elevator and up into the house.

"You are welcome to stay..." Belle said softly as Emma was shaking her head no.

"I need space," Emma said, frantic for the door. Mary Margaret, David, Jefferson, and August all chased her out. Ruby and Archie followed after several apologies, leaving Belle standing alone in Gold's study with Gold himself and several of their previously thought dead comrades chained up in the basement.

"So much for alone tonight, huh?" He tried to joke but there was no real conviction behind it.

"What do we do?" She whispered fearfully.

"Belle..."

"No. Don't say it," she said turning away from him.

"You have to forgive yourself, Belle. It wasn't your fault." He crushed her against his chest.

"I can't."

"Belle-"

"We have to save them. Promise we'll try." She looked up at him, her blue eyes swimming in tears, he couldn't help himself. He pressed his mouth against hers in a searing kiss.

"Promise."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Long Hiatus! My beta and I needed a vacation but we are back. This chapter has smut! My way of saying sorry :) It will be in with all the other smut, to spare those who don't want to read it. **

**Love you!  
**

Regina was furious. Stripped of her title as Mayor, publically humiliated by the District Attorney's office, ten years' probation and for what? Beyond her fury, Regina was extremely bitter at the entire situation. Her Mother was on the loose, bringing the dead back to life in a bid for the city, forcing Regina to make a deal with her former mentor. She wanted to blame Gold for this entire mess but found, despite her intense hatred for him, she still desperately wanted his approval. She wanted his help, even though asking him for it physically disgusted her. He had made her into Ebony Shadow, training her when she was just a teenaged girl, unaware of the scope of her abilities, a runaway from home. He was the one who had helped her climb the ranks, who had bought the election for her the first time.

She had messed up with the Glass family. Gold had asked her to bring them down but power was seductive and the idea of finally being her own boss, uncontrolled by Gold or her Mother was too intoxicating to pass up. She had dived in whole heartedly and then began a complicated revenge plan on both her Mother and Gold, a plan which ultimately had backfired on her. Taking Gold's son, while delicious at the time, had been too far. She could see her mistakes now. It had given Gold motivation to take her down and a common enemy with his stupid band of idiotic heroes. She had practically set him and Belle French up.

What she needed was a way back in. She had gone to him with information but that wasn't enough. She needed to make friends with his people, let him see she was trustworthy. Belle might be resistant to it at first, but she knew Belle's type. She wanted to believe the best in everybody. She would start with Belle, and if that didn't work she would start killing them one by one.

She would have him back if it was the last thing she did.

"Ryan?" Belle asked softly as she made her way into the basement. Gold and David had moved Granny, Graham, and Ryan out of the lair and into the rooms in the basement. Gold had forbidden her from seeing any of them without him present, but she had never listened to him before and wasn't going to start now. She was a grown adult. She could handle the consequences.

She heard the clinking of chains but no vocal response. "Ryan? I brought you something." She stepped in to the room but left the light off. Inside there was a bed but not much else. Gold and David had tried to remove anything that could be used as a weapon.

Ryan was huddled in the corner, his head resting on his knees. "Go away, Belle," he said hoarsely.

"I want to talk to you," she pressed, setting the basket of food down on the floor.

"Go away, Belle."

She hesitated for a moment. "If you need anything..."

"I don't." His tone was flat. She looked at him for another moment before turning and stepping quietly out of the room. She nearly screamed when she rounded the corner and found Gold standing there, waiting for her.

"What are you doing?" She asked, her hand on her chest.

"I was going to ask you the same thing," he replied, his hands folded in front of him.

"I..." She trailed off at the look of disappointment on his face.

"I just don't want him to hurt you," Gold told her, reaching out to softly touch her face.

"I know," she murmured, catching his hand and kissing his palm.

He didn't say anything else as he turned to the elevator. Belle followed, surreptitiously checking him out. He was in a crisp black suit with a purple tie and dress shirt, her favorite combination. It had been a while since they had been together and she was starting to notice it.

"Are you going back to work?" She asked him as they stepped out and into the main hall.

"I am not. We have plans," he told her.

"What plans?" She smiled suggestively, gently grabbing his tie. He looked down surprised before glancing up at the large grandfather clock in the hall.

"We have an appointment with the bakery," he told her, his eyes dark. Belle dropped his tie.

"I forgot about that! It took me forever to make that appointment and if we don't leave now we're gonna be late!"

She hurried off towards the car as Gold groaned softly behind her. He would gladly have rescheduled for even twenty minutes of uninterrupted alone time with her. He was willing to pay any amount of money at this point to get it. He wanted to support Belle and her feelings but he was also a man.

On their way to the upscale bakery, Bae called asking if he could have friends over. Belle listened with amusement as Gold argued with his son, knowing all the while he would say yes. Belle was a big fan of Bae having friends over, friends who would keep him occupied and allow her and Gold to have the alone time they both so desperately craved.

Once at the bakery, Gold resumed his business persona, making the owner very nervous. Belle was so used to it that it hardly phased her but found herself a little distracted by the events earlier that day. Ryan refusing to speak to her was disappointing but an improvement over trying to kill her. She firmly believed that she could fix him, make up for costing him his life. There was no other alternative; failure was something she refused to consider.

"Belle?"

Belle looked up to see Gold and Mrs. Potts, the bakery owner, both staring at her expectantly.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Belle asked apologetically. Gold shot her the darkest look as Mrs. Potts began to cheerfully re-explain every flavor and frosting she had and how those could be paired in any number of ways. It seemed impossible that in six short months she and Gold would be married and their family and friends would be eating the cake she decided on today.

"Anything you absolutely do not want?" Mrs. Potts asked, her pen poised over a list expectantly.

"How about you just bring us your most popular flavors and we go from there?" Gold asked seriously.

"That would be lovely," Belle added sweetly. Mrs. Potts nodded and headed to get samples. The moment she was gone Gold turned on Belle.

"This is supposed to be your project, not mine. I've already been married, remember?"

"You're welcome to go home," Belle said dismissively, waving one hand airily towards the door. Gold's eyes narrowed but he stayed in his chair.

"I didn't mean to zone out," she told him, knowing how much he loathed these small chores. "I was thinking about being alone later," she lied, attempting to make amends.

"You were?" He asked, caught off guard. He seemed surprised she missed being alone as much as he had.

"It's been too long. I was thinking, Bae will be downstairs all night...and we can be quiet."

Gold shifted uncomfortably in his chair but maintained his composure as Mrs. Potts came back out with different cakes on a tray. Belle lit up as she began sampling different cakes. Gold seemed pleased just to watch.

Eventually Belle decided on a vanilla cake with a raspberry frosting. Gold made the payment arrangements while Belle took a phone call from her former landlord.

"Is everything okay?" She asked softly, aware that Gold had no idea she allowed her Father to move in.

"No. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to move out," the man on the other end told her sternly. "Whoever you are subletting to has received numerous complaints. I'm sorry, Ms. French, but we can't have an entire floor disturbed every single night." Does this mean that she is being evicted or would that just be her father since he is the one living there right now?

"I understand," Belle said, ending the call. Behind her, Gold had put his hands on her shoulders.

"Ready?" He asked, leading her gently out of the bakery. Belle took a deep breath and turned to face him. "I know that look. What's wrong?"

"I let my Father stay in my apartment," she told him miserably. "And the landlord is evicting him."

He sighed, pulling her close and kissing the top of her head. "This is just not your month is it?" She shook her head no.

"Come on; let's go evict your Dad."

They drove the four blocks to her former home. Belle knew she didn't want to see the inside of it. Gold took the lead up the stairs to Belle's place. The moment they stepped on the landing a foul odor assaulted their senses.

"Oh God," Belle said, pressing a hand over her nose. Gold wrinkled his nose but showed no outside discomfort. Belle handed him a key and with no hesitation Gold opened the door. What had once been a nicely furnished apartment was now a mess. All of her appliances and furniture was gone; the lovely cream colored carpet Gold had installed for her was a dirty brown and covered in trash. Belle stepped carefully around used needles, piles of trash, and molding food. In what had been her bedroom, her Father was sprawled on the floor. Gold knelt down a touched him while Belle watched nervously. Gold stood up.

"He's alive," he told her tersely.

"He needs help," she said, desperate to make sense of the mess surrounding her.

"That much is obvious." Gold looked back down at her Father, concentrating hard until Moe shot forward, gasping for air. Belle shot Gold an angry look but didn't say anything as she watched her Father look around.

"Belle...what are you doing here?" He asked as he gasped in air.

"The landlord called," she explained with tears in her voice. "I'm being evicted."

"What did you do?" Moe asked his daughter almost accusingly as he attempted to get to his feet. Gold's rage at the entire situation boiled over causing him to slam Moe against the bedroom wall.

"What did she do?" Gold snarled in Moe's face. "Look at this place you animal!"

"Rush! Stop it!" Belle shouted angrily. Gold turned back to look at her, his hair falling into his eyes. He stepped back but his hate was written very plain on his face.

"You have to leave," Belle said, maintaining eye contact.

"And go where?!" Her Father exploded stepping towards her. Gold immediately put himself between Belle and her Father. Belle put a soft hand on Gold's arm but didn't move from behind him. The last time she saw her Father he had struck her and she wouldn't put it past him to do it again.

"Rehab. Daddy, you need help."

Moe brushed past them. "I don't need anything!"

"Where are you going?!" Belle shouted after him. He followed him into her living room.

Her Father turned back to look at her once but didn't reply as he stormed out, leaving Gold and Belle alone in her trashed apartment.

"We'll get this place cleaned up," Gold said, coming up behind her.

"He's going to kill himself," she said desperately, unable to face him.

"He is a grown man," Gold told her softly. "You can only do so much."

She looked around again, feeling more defeated than she had in a long time. "I just..." She couldn't finish her sentence but Gold seemed to understand.

"I'll take care of this," he told her again, leading her out of the foul apartment. She didn't say anything else until he had her in his car.

"Thank you."

He looked over at her, fully appreciating the beautiful woman in the seat next to him. There were tears on her cheeks and her blue eyes were rimmed red and as sad as when she had spoken at Ryan's funeral and yet she was still the most beautiful woman.

"Always," he promised her, meaning it fully. He would do anything she asked, so long as she never left him.

"Let's go pick up some things for Bae and his friends and then let's go home," she said, wiping away her tears.

"Boys like broccoli and green beans, don't they?" He teased as he drove towards a grocery store. She laughed; shutting the drawer on her Father; ever since her Mother had died her Father had been on this downward spiral. Stealing, drug use, and homelessness was nothing new and yet every time she was confronted with it she felt miserable. She wanted to help him, to make him well again. She could remember how he had been before drugs over took his life and Belle would give anything for that again.

"You're doing it again," Gold told her as they wandered through the store.

"Doing what?" She asked, coming out of her thought about her Father.

"Lost in thought," he said as she pulled chips off the shelves and into the basket.

"I'm sorry. I just can't help but remember who he used to be. I want that back."

Gold nodded, unsure of what to say or how to fix it. He wanted to see her smile like she used to when they first met, before people started dying and coming back to life, before her Father caused her to lose the apartment she desperately loved. It seemed like everything was against her right now but he was determined to make it right somehow.

"I'm sorry; I must sound like a broken record."

"Don't ever apologize for that," he told her, pleased when she beamed up at him.

For the rest of the shopping venture Belle chattered cheerfully about people they knew and things she wanted for the wedding. Gold listened, hanging on every word, taking mental notes of things he could do for her.

They beat Bae and his friend's home, giving Belle plenty of time to put away the snacks and start a pizza. The boys arrived as Belle was pulling the pizza out of the oven.

"Is this your Mom?" One of the boys asked incredulously as Belle cut the pizza.

"Yep!" Bae said proudly, hugging her around the middle.

"Oh good, you're all here," Gold said, looking up from his laptop. "I want to talk to you all quickly."

"Ugh, Dad, don't embarrass me," Bae groaned, sinking into a chair. Belle smiled as she poured chips into large, colorful, plastic bowls.

"Just some quick ground rules before your _Mother_ and I leave you boys to yourselves. Please try not to make a huge mess, keep Bernard in mind tonight. There are blankets in the closet -"

"I'll go grab them, and some pillows," Belle interrupted quickly.

"- But you can sleep in any of the guest rooms if you'd prefer. If you come upstairs please remember that Belle and I are asleep and would like to remain that way. Lastly, my study, the garage, and the basement are completely off limits. Understood?"

The boys all nodded. "Everything will be fine, quit worrying," Bae said as he grabbed a fistful of chips.

"Why do I find myself doubting that?" Gold mumbled, shutting his laptop. Bae grinned and led his friends into the giant living room where Belle was stacking large, fluffy pillows on top of fleece blankets.

"In case you get cold," she smiled, stepping away.

"Am I allowed to use the oven or is Dad gonna freak out?" Bae asked her as his friends made themselves comfortable in front of the TV.

"What do you need the oven for?"

"Duh. That is not enough pizza."

"Just, be careful, okay? If you need help, come get me."

"I do not need help working the oven, okay?"

"If you burn down your Father's kitchen, I cannot save you from his wrath," she said as she ruffled his hair.

"Night!" He called after her.

"Dude, your Mom is hot!" One of his friends said the moment she was out of the room. Belle heard a loud thump as she chuckled to herself.

In their room, Gold was lounging on the bed reading a thick set of documents, his unreadable.

"Looks serious," she commented as she stepped into their bathroom to wash her face.

"Just legal mumbo jumbo," he commented, tossing it aside. "Should I be worried about the boys who have over taken my house?"

"They'll be fine," she assured him. "I was actually thinking about jumping in the shower."

"Oh?" He tried to feign disinterest but he knew he was failing miserably.

Belle smiled as she turned on the tap. "Yeah. It's been such a long day you know." She stepped into the door frame so he could see her as she began to take off her clothing. He was sitting ramrod straight on the bed, his eyes never leaving her as she shimmied out of her pants and pulled her shirt over her head. "Hot water will feel nice."

She unclasped her bra and stepped out of her underwear, letting him look as she pulled her hair out of the bobby pins that had kept it out of her face. She took one last look at him, sitting there frozen like a statue before smiling sweetly and asking, "Are you coming?"

He was up in seconds.

He waited until she fell asleep before getting slowly out of bed. He slid his pants back on, looking at her sleeping peacefully in the bed they shared. He knew she wouldn't approve of what he was about to do which is why he was choosing not to tell her. This was going to be part of his wedding gift to her, even if she didn't know it.

Downstairs he found Bae and his friends playing video games, totally unaware he was there. He grabbed his keys and drove into the city, searching for Moe French. He knew the lowlife would be out looking to score, totally unguarded. The trick would he finding him, Storybrooke was large and while Moe was likely to be where the low lives congregated, that didn't guarantee anything.

He was in luck tonight. He could hear Moe's disjointed thoughts before he saw him sitting in an alleyway, clutching a brown paper bag. Gold parked and got out. With a quick motion he had Moe on his feet, his back up against a brick wall, the paper bag at the man's feet.

"What's happening?!" Moe called out. Gold walked over quickly to the man. "Gold? Are you doing this?"

"You're going to stop talking now," Gold instructed, "And just listen. The only reason I am letting you live is because I love your daughter. Here is what is going to happen. You are going to walk yourself to the hospital and check yourself into the hospital. You will tell them I will pay be paying for it. You will stay until you are completely clean, and then you will call your daughter and apologize. You will walk her down the aisle. Do you understand?" Gold was standing inches from Moe's face as he drilled the words into the man's mind.

"I understand," Moe said tonelessly.

"You will forget we ever had this chat. Off you go now," Gold told him, releasing him from his mental grip. Moe didn't even look at him as he began walking towards Storybrooke Memorial.

When Moe was out of sight Gold began walking towards his car but was stopped by the sound of sarcastic clapping.

"What do you want, dearie?" He asked as Regina stepped out of the shadows.

"Nothing," she said airily. "Just enjoying the spectacle that is The Trickster. Reduced to running errands for his lawyer girlfriend."

Gold snarled, slamming Regina against the same wall Moe had previously occupied.

"Now that's better," Regina smiled, seemingly enjoying his anger. Gold released her, turning his back on her. "Oh, don't be like that. What happened to my callous mentor?"

"That was a long time ago," he told her coldly. "You hardly require my help any longer. If you did, you would still be Mayor."

Her smile slid off her face. "I will be, again."

"I don't think the people will forget your transgressions so easily."

"Maybe not yet. But they will. Someone will have to protect them from whatever evil my Mother has in store for them."

"Whatever you have up your sleeve, you can rest assured that I will have no part in it," he told her as he stepped around her to his car.

"Not yet."

"Not ever."

He slammed his car door and drove away, leaving Regina grinning on the sidewalk. "We shall see."

On his way home he got a call from the hospital, whom he assured he would he paying for all of Moe French's medical treatment. His son and friends were still up when he got back, playing the same loud shooter game. They didn't notice him as he made his way back to bed.

Belle rolled over, cuddling into his chest when he climbed in, clad only in boxer briefs. He wrapped an arm around her, kissing her forehead. Tomorrow would be a better day for her. He had already seen to it.


	3. Chapter 3

Belle was certain none of the boys slept at all when she got up the next morning. The kitchen was a disaster though still standing. Bernard was standing in the middle of it with a look of desperation on his face.

"A maid. We need a maid," he said, looking at Belle.

"I got this," she assured him as she poured a glass of orange juice.

"Is Mr. Gold still asleep?" Bernard asked her, sitting next to her and reaching for the paper.

"Yeah, it's unusual,unusual; he's almost always up before me."

"He was out late," Bernard remarked as he read the headline. His words didn't register with Belle as she began cleaning up after the boys, determined to get the kitchen presentable before he woke up.

"Hey," Bae yawned, walking into the kitchen.

"Hey yourself. Just be glad your fatherFather didn't see this," Belle reprimanded but Bae didn't seem too concerned. He grabbed a bagel and shuffled back to the living room. Belle was certain he would be asleep within the hour.

"Boys," Bernard commented without looking up from his paper.

"Boys indeed," she agreed.

"What about boys?" Gold asked her, coming into Belle's clean kitchen in an impeccably sharp suit.

"If I ever have children, I want daughters," she said as she tossed a dish rag into the sink.

"Are you trying to tell me something?' He asked her archly as he grabbed for a bagel, just as his son had. Belle shook her head before she realized what he was wearing.

"Are you going into the office?"

"Every day. Somebody has to keep us living in this run down shack."

Belle crossed the room, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him. "Try not to be too late tonight,tonight; I would like another quiet night like we had last night."

His eyebrows shot into his hair. "I will not disappoint you," he promised her before walking out. Belle smiled to herself, pleased at how easy things had become between her and Gold. It had been a long road to get them to where they were and it never ceased to amaze her when she looked back on it.

She decided to go downstairs and see what Ryan was doing and if he would talk to her. She was certain that she could make progress, even if it took her a year.

On her way down she was surprised to see Ana standing there looking bewildered.

"Belle?" She asked, brushing her tangled brown curls out of her face.

"Ana? What are you doing down here? How did you get inside?"

Ana's mouth opened and snapped shut before she finally spoke. "I don't know. I was in my home reading and then woke up and I was here. I don't know how it happened."

Belle stared at her for a moment, unsure of what to say.

"Ana...what were you doing down here...?" Both sher and Ana knew what was concealed down here.

"I can't remember," Ana whispered, terrified. Belle pushed past her to get to the room that Ryan had been kept in.

"Oh God," she said, staring at the empty room. Granny and Graham's were also empty. "Ana, what did you do?!"

"I don't know, I don't know, I'm so sorry!" She exclaimed. Belle stared at her in horror before running up the stairs and out the front door, completely forgetting about Ana. She searched the grounds visually but couldn't see anything. She ran back in, grabbed her keys and her phone, and drove off, determined to find them. As she looked she dialed Emma's number.

"Emma, I need your help," Belle told her frantically.

"Whoa," Emma said sleepily, "What's going on?"

"Ana let Ryan, Graham, and Granny out!"

"What? How is that possible? Ana has been here all night while looking for an apartment."

Belle paused for a moment, confused. "Is...is she there right now?"

She could hear the muffled sound of Emma talking to someone and then, "Belle? Is everything okay?"

"Son of a-" Belle swore, doing a Uu-turn to race back home. "Tell Emma that Ryan, Granny, and Graham have escaped and we need to look for them before they hurt someone. And call Gold!"

She hung up, racing home,home; afraid of who she had left alone with Bae and his friends. She left the car running as she ran into the house, racing into the living room. Bae and his friends were sleeping softly, wrapped under fluffy blankets. She sighed and crept back out into the hall. Gold kept several weapons in his home, one of which was in a drawer in his study. She made her way to the study, heart pounding, and turned the handle.

Inside she was stunned to find a dark haired woman rifling through Gold's desk, desperately looking for something. Belle recognized this woman from a photograph she had seen once. This was Baelfire's motherMother, Gold's dead wife.

"Emmeline?" Belle asked, wondering if this was who she was actually seeing, or just another illusion.

Emmeline looked up, her face frozen with fear for a moment before she realized it was Belle standing in front of her. "Nobody calls me that," she said after several long minutes.

"You're dead," was all Belle could manage to say. Emmeline smiled at Belle.

"Obviously."

The two brunette women stared at each other, Belle with confusion and Emmeline with amusement. Belle didn't know what to say and Emmeline seemed content to wait.

"What are you doing here?"

"Gold has something of mine that I need. This is the room he liked to hide things in."

"Does he know you're alive?!"

She sighed. "He will now, unfortunately. Unless I kill you. Murder isn't my forte, but I'm starting to consider it." She pulled out the gun Belle had been looking for and pointed it at her. "They say you can't die, but I wonder how well you'd heal with your brains all over the back wall."

"How do you know about that?" Belle asked, backing out of the room and into someone solid. She froze as a familiar gleaming hook grazed the side of her face.

"I told her," Hook whispered, his lips pressed against Belle's hair. Belle was trapped between her old nemesis and Gold's dead wife. Emmeline pulled the hammer back on the gun, smiling sweetly.

"I'm sparing you a horrible life, married to that man. I'm doing you a favor."

Belle squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable when the front door banged open and a loud male voice began talking to Balfour and his friends. Hook pushed Belle into the study, shutting the door softly behind them.

"That's your son," Belle said, watching Emmeline carefully. She couldn't place the voice, which sounded familiar, but was grateful he was getting the boys out of the house. "That's Bae."

"I have no son," Emmeline spat as the front door shut closed, leaving them alone in the house again. Belle's heart sank when she realized she was alone with two people who wanted her dead.

"Now," Hook asked, dragging his hook lightly against her throat. "Where were we?"

"Emmeline, you don't have to do this," Belle said quickly as Hook began laughing in Belle's ear. It sounded almost seductive and it made the hair on her neck stand on end.

"No one calls her that, love."

"They call me Mila," she smiled widely as Hook let go of Belle. Belle watched as Mila, formerly Emmeline, changed her appearance to look like Ana momentarily. She had the same ability as Serena had. Belle was struck for a moment by the incredibly powerful parents Bae had. "And that's not all I can do."

Belle opened her mouth to respond but the door to the study burst open and Jefferson and Bernard burst in. Mila fired her weapon but missed Belle and hit Bernard instead. Belle screamed in horror and Jefferson began firing in succession at Hook and Mila. Hook sliced Belle's cheek as he and Mila jumped through the study window, making their escape. Jefferson followed after them but Belle knew they would escape. It would be too easy for them to die here, even after everything they had done. She moved for Bernard, her horror increasing when she saw Bae standing in the doorway frozen, his face sheet white.

"Mom?" He asked, staring at the opened window.

"Bae, no-" Belle reached for him but Bae knocked her out of his way, frantic to get to the window.

"MOM!" He screamed. Belle scrambled after him, cutting herself on glass on her way out. Jefferson had stopped chasing them halfway across the grounds, his gun still aimed. Belle grabbed Bae around the middle, bringing them both crashing to the ground.

"MOM!" Bae screamed again. They both watched as Mila faltered for a moment, looking back at her son crying on the ground for her. Belle was sure she would come back for him but she turned back and kept running into the woods on the edge of the grounds. Bae stopped struggling and succumbed to his sobs, his face buried in the grass.

"I tried to get him out," Jefferson said, coming over to them and kneeling beside them. "The other boys are being driven home but Bae went up to his room."

"It's not your fault," Belle told him as she held the crying boy. Bae seemed beyond inconsolable and Belle was not going to leave him. Belle could hear Jefferson talking to Gold behind her before he walked around to the front of the house.

"Bae," Belle asked softly, "Bae, do you want to go inside?"

He looked up at Belle, his brown eyes rimmed with red and he looked so lost, too young to be experiencing any of this. He nodded before he said, "She shot Bernard."

Belle had forgotten about Bernard. She leapt up and ran back into the study through the same window to get to him. He was lying in a pool of his own blood. She pulled him into her lap and raised her hand to heal him but he caught her wrist with surprising grip.

"No," he said. "It's too late."

"It's not," she said, unaware she was crying. Bae had climbed in after Belle and was watching the scene unfold with horror.

"It's my choice," Bernard said weakly. "Mister Bae...it's...been a pleasure to...know you."

Baelle came and sat next to Bae as Bernard breathed out his last breath. Belle put her hand on him and felt the life left out of him. Bae buried his face into Belles shoulder and they held on to each other, Bernard's head still lying on Belle's lap.

Gold found them both, half an hour later, holding on to each other and crying, his former man dead in his fianceefiancée's lap. The scene made him angrier than he could remember being in his life. Jefferson was still with him and Gold was grateful for that. Jefferson helped Gold get Belle and Bae out of his study and into his bedroom.

"Find them, bring them both to me," Belle heard Gold tell Jefferson outside the bedroom door. When he came in Bae sprung out of the bed and hit his fatherFather hard in the face.

"Bae!" Belle exclaimed but Bae ignored her.

"DID YOU KNOW?!" Bae screamed at his fatherFather. "DID YOU KNOW SHE WAS ALIVE?!"

"No. No, I didn't know," Gold said helplessly, pulling his son into a brusingbruising embrace. "I thought she died."

"She left us," Bae wailed into his fatherFather's chest. "In that orphanage, she just left! I don't understand."

"I don't either."

Belle felt like she was intruding on an extremely personal moment and got up to give them privacy. As she crossed the room, Bae pulled away from his fatherFather and grabbed her.

"Don't go. Don't leave me," he said, wrapping his arms around her.

"Never," Belle promised, kissing the top of his head.

Belle, Bae, and Gold stayed in bed for the rest of the day and into the night, Belle and Gold on the outside of the bed sandwiching Bae on the inside. Belle had questions, questions that no one but Gold could answer for her, but it was inappropriate for her to ask in front of Bae.

There was one thing at the forefront of her mind and once Bae was asleep she decided to bring it up.

"Rush?" She whispered into the darkness.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Erm...after today...I was thinking...maybe we should get married now...and have me adopt Bae. Before everyone learns about his motherMother and it becomes impossible."

"You want to...adopt Bae?" He asked, looking over at her in the dark.

"He deserves a motherMother who loves him."

"In the morning we can go to the court house. I'll let Jefferson know to get the paperwork ready."

She didn't say anything else because there was nothing left to say. In the morning she would be Belle Gold and Balfour's new motherMother and nothing short of death would separate her from these men.

The next morning was chaotic for everyone. It wasn't the right circumstances for a wedding, the only wedding she would ever have. She had always imagined she would feel deliriously happy instead of anxious and nervous. She, Gold, and Bae were signing the documents in Judge Ryder's office, allowing Belle to adopt Bae. Legally, Mila or Emmeline or whoever she thought she was, was dead. Bae was old enough to tell a court if he wanted to be adopted, and when sher and Gold had broached the topic with him earlier that morning she had been afraid Bae would say no. She worried he would want to reconnect with his real motherMother, now that he knew she was alive.

"She knew I was sitting in the orphanage. She could have rescued me, but she didn't. You did. You're my motherMother," he had stated simply and Belle left it at that. Gold had not argued with his son at all.

Judge Ryder witnessed the entire thing before adding his signature to the document. He explained that Belle was now legally responsible for Bae, even if sher and Gold decided to part ways. Belle understood the legality of raising a child and doubted she and Gold would ever part ways for any reason. They belonged together. She had fought hard for these two men, and she always would.

Outside the courtroom, Belle and Bae embraced for the first time as motherMother and son. "I always wanted a son," Belle told him as Bae smiled at her.

"Go marry my dadDad," he said urging them both towards the courtroom a Justice of the Peace would marry them in.

Belle slipped her hand into Gold's and tugged on the hem of her white skater dress. She had an actual wedding dress paid for and being hemmed as she walked into the courtroom. It wasn't the wedding she had dreamed of as a little girl, but she was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. She was getting so much more than she ever imagined, a son, true love, a family. The kind of family she had wanted her entire life, ever since her motherMother had passed away. She would not let Bae grow up feeling unloved,unloved; she would not let his birth motherMother make him feel like he wasn't wanted. She wanted him,him; she wanted this, all of it.

When their names were called she brought Bae up with them. The words were simple and they both repeated the vows, smiling. They exchanged the rings they had picked out weeks before. Gold had somehow gotten his hands on them early and Belle was grateful for that. The signed the document making them man and wife and then he kissed her to scatter applause by other strangers waiting to get married. Belle had never seen Gold so happy publically as they walked out of the courthouse and onto the street.

"We're married," she said breathlessly, hugging him impulsively. Bae was grinning ear to ear, a mirror image of his fatherFather in the moment.

Gold opened his mouth to say something when an explosion rocked through the courthouse, throwing the three of them off their feet. Bae, who had been holding onto Belle's hand, squeezed his eyes shut and transported the two of them out of there.

"What happened!" Bae asked with bewilderment, looking around the family living room.

"We left your fatherFather there!" Belle said hysterically. "We have to go back and get him!"

"I will!" Bae said fearfully and with a pop he was gone.

"Bae wait-!" She didn't mean for him to go alone. She ran into the hall, slamming into Mila. Mila looked flustered and was holding a package in her hand.

"Oh hell no," Belle said, punching the other woman in the face. "What are you doing in my home?!"

"I helped build this home," Mila spat, standing up, "If I need something I'll come and get it."

"Over my dead body," Belle retorted, lunging for Mila again. Mila dodged and pinned Belle against a wall.

"That could be arranged," She snarled. "But I don't have time for that. You want to know how my marriage to Rush worked, despite the fact that I hated him almost the entire time? I had my own abilities, to change my appearance sure, but more importantly, the ability to remove memories. Do you know how useful that is against a man who is constantly reading your mind? Well, you know, you live with him now."

Mila seemed almost regretful as she reflected. "I was miserable. I wanted adventure! Instead I was a wife and a motherMother to a man my family wanted me to marry, trapped forever. My only solace being able to take away his memories or slip away and change my appearance, some freedom for a while. He couldn't find me, and if he did I could remove the memory.

And then...then I met Killian, and discovered what true love was. It was my chance to have the life I always dreamed of. So I faked my own death and I was free. Free of the wretched man, of that life..." She looked at Belle thoughtfully. "You could be too. I don't want to be the bad guy. I just want to be happy. You could be happy, too. You could be free, too."

"Please don't," Belle pleaded, trapped between the wall and Mila. Mila smiled at her and put her hand on Belle's head. Belle struggled for a moment and then she couldn't remember why she was. She looked at the woman touching her face.

"You're free now," she said, stepping away. Belle slid down the wall, confused as the woman looked down at her one last time and then ran off. She sat there, unsure where she was or what she was doing, and then there were voices calling for her.

A young boy with a mop of brown hair and an older man she recognized, Rush Gold, CEO of Gold Corp, rushed into the room.

"Belle! I found him, I found him!"

Gold knelt in front of her and out a hand on her face. "I would be willing to bet it was Hook."

"Hook?" She repeated, trying to make sense of what was happening. She couldn't get Gold to agree to speak with her about his embezzling employees and here he was talking to her about someone called Hook and touching her face. Something was missing.

He withdrew his hand and narrowed his eyes a moment. Unbeknownst to her, Gold was searching her mind, trying to discern where her confusion was coming from. What he found surprised him. She had no memory of the last year of her life. He saw his ex- wife walking away from her and knew she had something to do with this.

"What is going on?" She asked. Gold and Bae exchanged a look. This was bad.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry for the wait, and thank you for all the lovely messages. **

"You gonna be okay?" Ruby asked, looking at Belle warily.

"Yeah," Belle assured her with a smile. "I know...I know that I love them, but I just need some space."

"Okay. Well, you can stay as long as you need to," Ruby promised, though she didn't seem convinced. Belle waited for Ruby to close the door to her guest room before she stopped smiling. It had been the longest two days of her life and she needed some quiet and normalcy, if only five minutes of it. She had been given an overwhelming amount of information that she had been unable to process. She was married, adopted a child, had a super power, and joined some kind of vigilante group. In a year. And she remembered exactly none of it. Gold had asked her to stay for the boy's sake, and she had wanted to agree but she couldn't. She couldn't keep looking them in the face knowing she was hurting them when she couldn't even remember them. She had given him back his ring and asked for some space to think things through, and then moved in with Ruby. Ruby had assured him it was only temporary and that Belle would regain her memories but Belle wasn't so sure. Emma and Mary Margaret were sure she could heal herself but Belle didn't know how to do this specifically. They had tried and had agreed to keep trying but she held no hope. At this point she wanted to just try and move forward. Once she had her things settled she joined Ruby in the kitchen.

"How are you feeling?" Ruby asked her, pouring tea into cups

"Lost," Belle admitted. "I want to stop disappointing everyone but I don't know how."

"Oh, honey, you're not disappointing anyone," Ruby assured her, dropping into a kitchen chair next to Belle. "Everyone understands, this is a big deal. But I know you, and you are going to get your memories back."

"What if I don't?" Belle asked her hopelessly.

"You will."

"How did Gold happen?" She asked suddenly. "He never gave me the time of day and he seemed like such a..."

"I don't know," Ruby admitted. "You never told us much about him, just that you were dating but I know that you loved him. You fought so hard for him. I think now he'll be fighting for you."

"But...if I fell in love with him once I could again, don't you think?"

"Yes. Stop trying so hard and just relax. Everything will work itself out."

Belle nodded. Ruby was right, the harder she tried the worse she felt. She was a fighter and somewhere inside her she knew the part of her that remembered was struggling to get out.

Gold was beside himself. In the last two days he had lost his closet friend Bernard, and his wife of five minutes had moved out, unable to remember anything about her life with him or his son. His ex-wife had reappeared and taken something from him, though he hadn't spent the time to find out what. His son was miserable and withdrawn and blamed himself. Gold needed to do something, anything, to try and make this right.

Mary Margaret and Emma had assured him that Belle's memories would recover, that she would be able to heal her damaged memory once she regained the ability to do so, but Gold knew that that could take months or even years. Gold didn't have that kind of time; she could have moved on by then, started a new life with a new man. This woman was the love of his life and he couldn't lose her. As long as she would allow him to do so, Gold would fight to win her back. The only problem was he had no idea how he had won her in the first place. He had tricked her by letting her meet the Trickster while keeping up his cold, unfeeling facade. It was tempting to try that route again, but they had nothing to unite them. Before she had been investigating Regina and attempting to rescue Bae from the foster system but they didn't have that now. Just his word that she had loved him enough to want to marry him, which had not been enough to make her stay. His company was hosting an event that night. He decided that would be a good place to start.

Hook was beyond delighted with his Mila. Her intentions had been good, honorable even, but she had done him the biggest favor. He hated the little brunette girl, Belle, with a passion. She had bested him at every turn and now she had no idea who he was. It practically wrote itself. She would have no qualms about going out by herself because she simply didn't know any better, and he would be waiting for her. This time it would be just him and her, none of her little friends to help her. All he had to do was wait.

She knew why she was going. She wanted to see him, talk to him around other people, maybe dance with him. She couldn't picture him doing any of those things and part of her wondered if they had some kind of financial arrangement that no one knew about. Belle liked romance and Gold seemed incapable of this. Still, she was going to go to his event and hope something jarred her memory.

She wore a dark red dress with one horizontal strap across her chest. The material was silky and form fitting, though not as tight as Ruby's dress. It gathered on the left side at the waist and was held with glittering stones. She put on black stilettos and pulled her dark hair into a shiny chignon.

"Like old times," Ruby commented when Belle met her at the door.

"Do I like these things now?" She asked, feeling the necklace at her throat nervously.

"No, not really," Ruby said, grabbing a sparkly black clutch by the door. Ruby's own dress was strapless and cut at the knees, black and tight and yet it looked classy somehow on Ruby. She had her own dark hair pinned up and held with a pretty blue and green hair clip.

"At least that hasn't changed," Belle sighed, stopping dead at the sight of the long stretch limo in front of them. "But this; this is new."

"Yes it is, although I think I know who it's from," Ruby smiled at the driver, who had gotten out to open the door from them.

"Mr. Gold sends his best," the driver said, an elderly man with blue eyes. Belle felt a strange pang looking at him but wasn't sure why. She wondered if they had met before and it was triggering a memory, and if it did, why it made her feel sad.

Ruby smiled and slid in where Emma, Mary Margaret, David, and Archie were waiting.

"Gold sent a limo," Mary Margaret said once everyone was settled in, "But not himself."

"Do you blame him?" Emma asked.

"I guess not," Mary Margaret conceded.

Belle didn't say anything as the guilt started to creep in. She didn't want him to feel like these things were necessary to win her back. She decided to push the feeling aside in favor of checking out what Emma and the ever stylish Mary Margaret were wearing. Emma's dress was navy blue with capped sleeves, and her hair was halfway pulled back. It was simple and elegant. Mary Margaret was also wearing sleeves with a square neck line and a light purple dress. David was wearing a matching tie and vest, and Belle was amazed at the difference a year made. She knew David was divorcing Kathryn but would never have guessed he and Mary Margaret would get together. Even stranger was Ruby and Archie. She couldn't wrap her brain around that.

The venue for Gold's event was beautiful. It was lit up with twinkling lights while music played softly in the background. It was on the water but indoors with the exception of a large balcony. People were milling about, some standing and talking, other sitting at round tables waiters in sharp tuxes poured champagne.

"Oh look, there's Jefferson," Emma said, indicating towards a man sitting alone at a table wearing a top hat. They made their way over to him and took a seat, where a waiter was waiting to pour drinks.

"Nice shindig, eh?" Jefferson commented once the waiter was gone.

"Gold always throws the best events. What's it for?" Emma asked, taking a sip of champagne.

"New clients; blah, blah, blah," Jefferson waved a hand airily. "I imagine it stemmed from a desire to show off his new wife."

Belle froze. "Me."

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at her.

"I'm…" Jefferson seemed unsure of how to fix his mistake as everyone else looked around, embarrassed. Five minutes in and Belle had already had enough.

"I'm going to get some air."

No one tried to stop her as she got up and walked to the balcony. The moment she was gone Emma punched him hard in the shoulder. "What was that?!" She demanded as Jefferson rubbed his shoulder.

"I am a paid employee," he said with narrowed eyes.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Gold is on the balcony waiting for her."

Belle thought she was alone as she walked out into the crisp night air. She walked over to edge and looked out over the water. "What am I doing?" She asked, leaning her head on the white ledge.

"Belle." Belle snapped her head up and saw Gold walk out from the shadow looking what she could imagine was nervous.

"I didn't know you were out here," she said apologetically. "I'll go-"

"No. Please, uh, stay." He sounded the same as he had when he asked her not to move out the day before. She bit her lower lip and nodded in agreement.

"How...how have you been?" She asked, unsure what to say to the man you married but couldn't remember.

"Well," he said, stepping closer to her. "I, uh, brought you this. I know you said you didn't want it, but, uh, it might help. With your memories. You don't have to wear it, if you don't want..." He was holding her wedding rings in the palm of his hand and he looked so broken that she had to take them.

"Thank you. Maybe it will help," she offered, slipping them on. Jefferson had mentioned that he had organized this as a way of showing off his new wife and she wasn't so cold that she would deny him that. She was, for all intents and purposes, his wife. No one had suggested a divorce although she knew they all expected her to since she had moved out. How was she going to get to know this man if she was hiding from him? He wasn't asking her to sleep with him and in a house his size she was certain she could have her own room.

"I'll see you inside," he said, stepping away but she grabbed his wrist.

"Wait! I...can I ask something?"

"Anything," he breathed, stepping closer to her, unaware their friends were all watching.

"I may have been...too hasty today. Moving out, I mean. I was scared," she admitted.

"That is completely understandable," he said softly.

"I think I would like to come back. We are married and I want to get to know you again. I'd like my own room though." She looked up at him shyly, expecting him to tell her no. She was not prepared for the look he was giving her. She was certain if she didn't say something he would start openly weeping. What had she done to deserve this man's obvious admiration? He was staring as if she had just hung the moon for agreeing to move in with the man she married two days earlier.

"Of course. Anything you want," he nodded.

She took a step back, uncomfortable with how much emotion he was expressing.

"We should probably get back inside," she said. He nodded and stepped ahead of her to hold the door open. They looked at each other once more before she went back to her seat at the table and he began speaking with someone.

"What happened?" Ruby asked the moment she sat down.

"I'm gonna move back in," she told them, taking a swig of champagne.

"Whoa. How did he convince you to do that?" Emma asked a little sarcastically.

"He didn't, it was my idea. How am I supposed to be getting to know him if I'm hiding at Ruby's?"

"He could take you on dates," Mary Margaret suggested.

"I married him," Belle reminded her. "I'm not going to be in the same room. But we got married and I think if I remembered I would be really excited about that. I always wanted a family, and now I have one and I can't even remember them." She looked sadly down at her napkin, hating herself for not remembering him.

"Don't force it," Mary Margaret advised but Jefferson had had enough of the somber attitude. An upbeat song was playing and without a moment's hesitation he grabbed Belle's hand and brought her onto the empty dance floor.

"No one else is dancing," she commented as he spun her in a theatrical circle.

"So what?"

"That's fair I suppose...but everyone is staring." He grinned widely.

"Dancing with the boss's wife if probably frowned upon, but considering all the times I have saved your life I'm sure he'll let it slide."

"You've saved my life?" She asked.

"Recently," he added, dipping her low. Ruby and Archie had joined them though they were dancing a little more conservatively.

"So we are friends," she stated.

He laughed a little, spinning her. "Sweetheart, without me you never would have married the man."

Belle laughed with delight at the idea that eccentric Jefferson setting her and Gold up. "Really?" She asked, spinning him this time.

"Of course my dear! How else was I going to get you to introduce me to Emma Swan? I never thought you'd marry the man!"

"I'm unpredictable that way!" She laughed, finally having some fun. She didn't see Jefferson wink over her head at Gold, who watching the pair dance with a soft expression.

"She looks like herself, doesn't she?" Mary Margaret commented to Gold as David escorted Emma onto the floor.

"Happy," he commented, wondering what Jefferson possibly could be saying to her.

"These last two days have been hard on everyone. I can't pretend to understand what you're going through, or her. But I- we, are all rooting for you. Both of you."

He turned to face Mary Margaret, fully appreciating the slight brunette for the first time.

"That means a lot to me." The song changed to something slower and Belle expected Jefferson to bow out to dance with someone. Instead he pulled her closer, put a hand on her waist and took her other in his hand so they could dance more appropriately.

"You dance like a gentleman," she commented, placing her free hand on his shoulder.

"Because I am a gentle-"

"May I cut in?" Belle and Jefferson looked up to see Gold standing there politely. Jefferson immediately stepped back, allowing Gold to take his place. All of Belle's nerves returned as they began to spin.

"Jefferson says he set us up," she said finally, trying to ignore how Gold smelled. It felt comforting and she knew on a subconscious level she remembered it.

"I suppose in his mind he did," Gold commented after a moment.

Belle smiled happily, wishing she could remember their relationship the way he could. "Was it love at first sight?" She asked even though she knew the answer. She just wanted to hear him talk about it.

"No, you didn't like me very much," he frowned as he recalled their first meeting. "You may have implied you were going to arrest me."

"That sounds like me. How did it happen?"

You were looking for information on a former employee of mine. I had been doing my best to keep you out but that idiot Jefferson let you up and the rest was history."

"And we were happy?"

"Very happy." The song had ended but she found she didn't want to let go. His presence was reassuring.

"Another?" He asked her. She nodded, falling into an easy rhythm with him. Other people were dancing but they didn't matter. "How is Balfour?" She asked him.

"He's doing well," Gold lied smoothly. He didn't want her guilt to keep her with them and he was sure she would fall in love with Bae much sooner and easier than she would with him.

"I think after this I'm gonna go home," she said, looking up at him hopefully. She wanted to talk to him more without all these extra people.

"Will you be up for a while?"

"I'll do my best."

He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her hand softly. "I wouldn't ask for anything less." When the song ended they stepped apart and he went back to speaking with his guests as she said goodnight to everyone and slipped out. The limo was waiting for her but she didn't want to leave her friends stranded so she hailed a cab. A dark haired man was doing the same.

"You take it," she offered.

"We can share it," he smiled at her. He was handsome with dark hair and sharp blue eyes, but something felt a little off about him. She ignored the feeling and stepped into the cab with him. They both gave addresses and settled into an awkward silence.

"Killian. Jones," he told her, offering her a hand.

"Belle Fren…, er Gold," she accepted his hand.

"Come from a wedding?" He asked her, indicating how dressed up she was.

"Not exactly."

"You look lovely."

'Thank you, Mr. Jones."

"I have to confess, Mrs. Gold, that I feel like fate has brought us together tonight," he smiled at her.

"Oh? How so?" She asked politely.

"I have a legal...complication...and I have been at odds with what to do about it, but now you're here. Perhaps you could help me?"

Belle relaxed after hearing he was looking for a legal consultation. She opened up her clutch and handed him a business card.

"Call me at my office tomorrow and we'll set up an appointment to discuss it. A cab isn't the best place for that."

The cab stopped and Killian smiled. "Thank you. I'll call you tomorrow. Cheers, Mrs. Gold." He handed the driver a wad of cash and added, "For the lady's drive home," and shut the door before she could protest.

She was grateful to have come by herself. A small amount of her things were at Ruby's, the majority she had left behind intending to get it later. She climbed the spiraling stairs; glad she didn't have to move her things out while Gold was there. First thing she did was pick a room at the end of the hallway. It was white and small, obviously intended for guests but it would do. She then made her way to the room she had previously shared with Gold and grabbed her things and arranging them neatly in her new bedroom. It felt good to be back and since she couldn't remember things she relied more on her feelings.

Once she was out of her dress and into pajama shorts and a tank top, she headed downstairs. She expected Gold to be home much later, not to be walking in as she came down. They both froze, staring at the other person.

"I, uh, was gonna watch a movie...if you want to join me."

"Give me five minutes," he replied. They passed each other quickly on the stairs and Belle knew she had to get past how awkward she felt or she might as well just stay at Ruby's. She picked out a comedy and waited until he came down clad in flannel pajama bottoms and a dark black t-shirt. She couldn't remember having ever seen him so casual and he looked good.

"Ah. This is a good one," he said once she pressed play. He had brought down a blanket with him and handed it to her. She was grateful for it, offering half of it to him which he accepted.

"Do we do this often?" She asked once they were settled.

"This is more of an activity for you and Bae."

"Oh. Okay. So what do we do?"

He paused for a moment, his face flushed slightly and she looked away, embarrassed. It shouldn't have surprised her, but she hadn't thought about sleeping with him outside of the literal sense. She refused to think on it, to keep things between the two of them light.

"It's been a while since we just...went out," He said finally. "I suppose that's my fault. We could though, if you wanted. I spend so much time working, I take for granted..."

"I think that sounds nice," she agreed brightly. Light.

They didn't say anything for the rest of the film which was fine with Belle. She had wanted to talk but she was also exhausted. She fell asleep halfway through and woke up as the credits were rolling. She had fallen against him in her asleep and he had put an arm around her. He was also asleep, breathing deeply, and when she tried to get up he tightened his hold on her slightly. She could have gotten away from him if she wanted, but in that moment she didn't. She felt safe and loved; even if she wasn't sure she loved him back. It violated her desire for space but there was nothing imposing about the position she found herself in, so she settled back in. Cuddling was nice. She could do this. She could make this work.


	5. Chapter 5

It took Belle a minute to remember why she was on the couch. Gold was gone which made it a little easier to get up. She padded up to her room, grabbed some bath things and then stopped. With the exception of the bathroom in his room, Belle had no idea where another was. She didn't feel like early morning exploration so she decided to just use his.

She opened the door, not expecting to find anyone in there so it was a surprise to find him sitting on the edge half dressed.

"Oh," she paused, her hand frozen on the handle. He looked up at her and stood, seemingly unaware he was just wearing dress pants, sock, and a belt. "I was going to take a shower."

"Go ahead," he said, stepping aside. "I'm, uh, leaving soon."

She passed him quickly and shut the door. It seemed almost unavoidable that the awkwardness was back. She had thought, perhaps foolishly, that they had banished it last night after dancing and the movie.

When she got out of the shower he was gone. She took her time with her hair and make-up before going into her room to put on clean clothes. She chose a nice skirt and top with heeled shoes and a jacket and then made her way to the kitchen. A man's back was turned to her when she came in but it wasn't Gold. She cleared her throat causing him to turn around and she screamed. He was almost blue he was so pale, the circles under his eyes black.

In moments both Bae and Gold crashed into the kitchen looking battle ready. When Gold saw the man he relaxed and his fear changed into irritation.

"How do you people keep getting through my security system?" He complained.

"You know this man?" Belle asked fearfully. Ryan turned to Gold angrily.

"She's the only reason I haven't gone back to Cora to beg for death!"

"Belle has lost some of her memories," Gold explained wearily.

"She doesn't remember us, either," Bae added sadly. Ryan looked at the boy and Gold before he erupted with laughter.

"If I didn't hate my situation so much, this would be the best news I had ever heard.

"She doesn't remember you, I could make her forget I killed you in her kitchen," Gold snapped through Ryan's laughter.

"Oh calm down," Ryan told him, looking at her. "You should be glad I'm here."

"Why is that?" Gold asked exasperated.

"I'm gonna get her memories back."

"How?" All three of them asked at the same time. Ryan walked over to the counter, grabbed a large knife out of the block, and with a quick motion, slashed her arm. Belle jumped up and pressed her hand against the bleeding wound.

"What's wrong with you?!" She screamed, grabbing a kitchen towel to soak up the blood. "She doesn't have any of her control of her ability!" He snarled at Ryan. Ryan just shrugged, unconcerned with the whole thing.

"I taught her control once, I can do it again. And when she regains her memories, you're going to kill me."

Belle stared at the two of them, watching the determination on Ryan's face and the conflict on Gold's.

"She will never allow it."

"I'm not asking her, I am asking you. This life...this is not how I want to live. It's painful...and the urges I have are dark. Ugly. Evil. I can't do it myself. I need you to do this for me. Promise me; no matter how she protests or looks at you with those blue eyes of hers, you will do this for me."

He looked over at Belle who didn't appear to be paying attention as she attended to her wound. Would she understand, or would she hate him when it came down to it? He wanted her back. He was willing to pay this price to get his wife back.

"Promise."

Ryan smiled; a twisted, painful smile. "Excellent." He turned to Belle who was watching him darkly. "If you're not going to heal yourself, I would get yourself a Band-Aid."

"You're crazy," she said, storming out.

"Finally, we agree," Gold commented as she passed him.

"We can start tonight," Ryan said once Belle was gone.

"I can hardly wait."

Belle drove to work angry over Ryan, the dead looking man who had cut open her arm. She was unable to stop the bleeding so she was on her way to the hospital to have it stitched up. This healing business was frustrating to her because she didn't know how to work it. It was some kind of magical switch she had apparently been able to turn on over the last year and she had no idea how that worked. In her most private thoughts she wondered if her friends were playing some kind of sick prank on her.

She saw a doctor relatively quickly once she entered the emergency room.

"What happened here?" An attractive blonde doctor asked her as he examined her wound.

"Kitchen clumsiness," she offered, smiling. He didn't need to know the full details behind the cut; it would just make her seem crazy.

"Well the good news is you're going to live," he smiled back at her, reaching for a few things. "The bad news is you're gonna need stitches."

"I figured," she said reasonably.

"I'm Dr. Whale, by the way," he added, rubbing a yellow sterilizing agent on her arm.

"Thank you, Dr. Whale." Belle was grateful for Dr. Whale's quick efficiency and pleasant demeanor. In no time he was finished, wiping up her arm, and writing her a prescription for a low grade pain killer, just in case.

"I'll see you on this date to have the stitches removed. Don't submerge them in water and if you have any questions give me a call. Other than that you are good to go."

"Thank you so much, Dr. Whale," she shook his hand gratefully.

"Have a good day, Mrs. Gold."

Whale watched her walk out before he pulled out his phone and made a call.

"Killian? You will never believe who I just had in my emergency room..."

Today was looking up. Work was something she remembered, something she was good at. She worked on a case she had started before she lost her memory, falling into a comfortable groove. David was out of the office, giving her free reign and more importantly, no one staring at her and making her uncomfortable. She was contemplating ordering in for lunch when Gold knocked on her door holding a picnic basket.

"Hey," she said once he came in. He seemed nervous, setting the basket down on her desk.

"I thought you might be hungry. And I wanted to apologize for this morning."

"It's okay, no harm done," she said, showing him her bandage. He stared at it for a long time as the color drained from his face.

"You, uh, had it stitched?" He finally asked.

"Yeah, to stop the bleeding," she told him nonchalantly, reaching into the basket and pulling out sandwiches.

"That's...sensible of you." He sounded choked, like he was holding back tears. She looked up at him, wishing he hadn't come if he was going to be disappointed in her inability to heal.

"I thought so," she said sharply.

He had also packed little juice boxes and store bought potato salad with two plastic forks. "I forgot plates," he realized but she didn't mind.

"We can share, your germs are mine," she joked. He looked up at her with wide eyes before offering her a small smile.

"Indeed.".

She was scrambling for something to talk about when her phone rang. He didn't seem concerned about it so she answered it.

"Mrs. Gold? It's Killian Jones, the man from the cab last night. I was hoping we could make that appointment," the English accent said on the other end.

"Yes, I remember Mr. Jones. If you're available today I could see you at the end of my day, around six thirty, seven o clock?"

"Perfect. I will see you then." He sounded almost gleeful and she found herself feeling uneasy again, as she had last night. She had considered it important to listen to her feelings, but she was certain she had never met this man before. It was irrational so she chalked it up to lingering nerves from such proximity to her husband that she was projecting onto this strange man.

"Client," she told Gold after hanging up the phone. "We met in a cab last night, of all places."

Gold's eyebrows knitted together and he chewed thoughtfully. "You met a prospective client in a cab last night?"

"Yeah, he just needs some advice. It shouldn't take long."

"Of course." He seemed lost in his own thoughts but didn't have anything else to say about it. They talked a little more about superficial things before he left to go back to work. She was relieved once he was gone and she didn't have to come up with things to talk about. It didn't seem like they had anything in common. What had they talked about before? The more time they spent together, the more she wondered what had brought them together.

The day flew by, mostly because she was dreading going home where she would be forced to interact with a man so obviously in love with her. She wasn't doubting her decision to stay in the house with him, she was certain that it was the right thing to do, she was doubting she was ever really in love with him to begin with, despite how hard he was trying. She knew love was work and that it was impossible to stay in love without hard work and effort, but did she even want to do that? For her it felt like she was trying to force herself to love someone she didn't even know. All the hard parts of relationships without the benefit of loving someone.

"Knock, knock," Killian interrupted her thoughts with a charming smile.

"Come in Mr. Jones," she stood up and shook his hand as Killian closed the door softly behind him. She noticed the office seemed empty but that wasn't concerned about it. The only other person who stayed late was David and he hadn't come in today.

"Thank you. Oh, what happened to your arm there?" He asked, settling into his chair.

"Oh this? Just a kitchen accident. I can be clumsy."

"Ah yes, it looks painful love. Stitches?"

"Yes," she said slowly, the feeling of unease creeping back in. "Dr. Whale took good care of me. So, anyway, what can I do for you?"

He laughed for a moment before showing off his right hand, which was severed. In its place he had put a large, silver hook. "If only he could have done such good work with me."

"Is...is that what you're here about? Because malpractice isn't really my specialty but I know of some really good-"

"I'm here for you, darling. You don't remember me but I remember you. We have a history, you and I. And even though you are an inferior fighter you somehow have bested me every time, even when I kill a man you loved right in front of you. Of course, you don't remember it, but it was brutal. And now here we are, face to face again at last. I have to say, I was quite pleased when Dr. Whale called me this morning and let me know about your little injury. It will make killing you all the more delicious."

"You want to kill me?" Nothing he was saying was making sense to her right now. She was hearing the words, and she definitely saw his hook, but she couldn't reconcile that with what he was saying. She didn't live in a world where people were constantly trying to murder her.

"You're a bright one aren't you love? No matter. I didn't come for the banter." They stared at the each other for a long moment, neither moving. He was between her and the door and jumping out the window was out of the question even if she could break through the glass. Her best option was to fight her way out and make her escape that way. Hook had the advantage, being in full command of all his memories while she had no idea how to beat him. She couldn't even heal herself. There was a very real possibility he would kill her in her office today.

Hook and Belle jumped out of their chairs to face off. He was grinning at her, his hook held in her visual line. He was still blocking her passage to the door, so she grabbed the lamp off her desk and threw it at him. He jumped out of the way, inching away from the door. She didn't think, grabbing a paper weight and throwing it at him as well. It smacked him in the face. It gave her the space to lunge for the door. She got it open and made it two steps into the main part of her office when Hook grabbed her leg and brought her crashing to the floor with him. They struggled and Belle managed to flip over onto her back and kick him in the face while scrambling backward on her elbows.

He lunged for her again, wrestling on top of her until he had both of her wrists in his pinned over her head. His knee had her legs pinned on the ground, leaving her immobilized. He stroked her cheek with his hook as she struggled under him.

"Struggling is pointless my dear," he whispered, inches from her face. "This time, I win."

He dragged the sharp edge of his hook against her cheek, drawing blood as he went. He did the opposite side as she flinched, neither of them breaking eye contact.

"If you're going to kill me get on with it," she snapped at him.

"I'll miss that spirit," he said, raising his hook. She closed her eyes, ready for the end, but it never came. Instead she felt the pressure of his body lifted off of her, and someone picking her up. Her eyes flew open and she found herself in the arms of her husband. He looked murderous as Hook began laughing loudly, as if the entire situation was hilarious.

"This is just perfect," Hook laughed, struggling to his feet. Gold ignored him, flicking his hand, sending Hook through the glass in Belles office.

"Is he dead?" She asked as Gold began walking down the stairs.

"I doubt it," Gold said through gritted teeth. He looked so furious that she didn't say anything else as he put her in his car and drove them home. He was gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles were white. He helped her up the stairs and into the bedroom they once shared. She finally got a good look at herself in the mirror. Her face, her hair, her neck, and the front of her shirt were drenched in blood.

"Why can't I do it?" She asked softly as he pulled off her shoes. Her leggings were ripped, her outfit unsalvageable. She let him take her clothes off, rationalizing that he had seen her unclothed before. He didn't touch her outside of taking the actual clothing off.

"How bad is it?"

He left the room and came back with her pajamas from the night before. "I don't think I've ever seen a bruise on your skin," he finally said after she had the shorts and tank on.

"Is this our life? Near death experiences and rebuilding our lives behind closed doors?" She asked him with watery eyes.

"You chose this life," he told her, sitting on the bed next to her.

"And what if I don't want it anymore?" She looked down at her hands, unable to look him in the eyes.

"No one is making you stay," he whispered. She got up and crossed to the bathroom to wash the blood off of her skin. She could see him still sitting on the bed, watching her.

"I just, I can't. Do this. Pretend. You, you so obviously love me and I want to love you." She crossed the room and knelt at his feet. "You don't know how badly I want to love you the way you love me, but for me this is all brand new and I can't figure out what brought us together."

He took her hands in his and looked down at her. "I don't want you to leave me."

"I know," she whispered. Neither of them moved for a long time, unsure of what they should do. She didn't want to leave him. She needed something to give.

"A week," she finally whispered.

"A week?" He asked.

"I will train with Ryan for a week to get my ability and memory back. If that doesn't work I'm gonna move back in with Ruby and try and find my own place."

He nodded, looking more hopeful than he had in a while. "I accept that."

He left her a little after that to go to her own room and get some sleep. She didn't want to be alone but it wasn't fair for her to ask him to stay. Not when she didn't expect to get her memories back. It wasn't fair to him.

"Is she asleep?" Emma asked once Gold appeared in their headquarters. Everyone was gathered, waiting expectantly for him.

"Yes," Gold answered, taking his seat.

"How is she doing?" Archie asked, concerned.

"Not so well," Gold confessed. "She's giving it a week before she walks away from it all."

"A week? Is that even enough time?" Ruby exclaimed with horror.

"It's not," said Ryan with a grimace.

"And we still don't know what Cora is planning or where Granny and Graham are..." David added, looking lost. "We are falling apart."

"Granny is dead." Ryan said flatly. Ruby jumped out of her chair.

"Did you kill her?!" She demanded furiously.

"None of us want to live this way!" Ryan roared back at Ruby. "It is a struggle to hold on to my humanity when all I want to do is kill you! Kill all of you! She asked me to do it so she could be a peace and I did and I would do it again! She deserves peace, to die her own way instead of whatever Cora had in store for her!"

Ruby sat back down and wiped away her tears quickly. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

Ryan also sat back down, his rage replaced with his flat disinterest. "You wouldn't."

"So, that just leaves Graham unaccounted for, then," David continued, pretending Ryan's outburst never happened.

"We'll find him," Emma said softly. "Let's focus on Belle. We need her and she needs her memories. We can deal with Cora later, for now we help Belle. Fix our group. Starting tomorrow everyone is on Belle duty; we'll take shifts, she is not to be left alone. Understood?"

Everyone nodded. Gold was relieved that everyone was in agreement that helping Belle was priority number one but it was obvious everyone was also fighting their own private battles. Was it possible to fix Belle when they themselves were all so broken?

He didn't know, but they had to try. All they had left was each other. And he couldn't lose her.


	6. Chapter 6

Belle woke up to Emma sitting on the edge of her bed holding a glass of wine.

"What's that for?" She asked sleepily. Emma handed the goblet of red wine to Belle.

"It's breakfast Emma Swan style. I'm on Belle duty this morning so get yourself into some yoga pants and a pony tail because we start in ten minutes."

"Belle duty?" Belle asked after swallowing a sip of wine. Emma was walking out of the room, leaving Belle alone with her questions and her wine. "START WHAT?"

She was tempted to ignore Emma and go do her own thing, but she had promised Gold a week, so with minimal grumbling she dug out black yoga pants and a stretchy pink tank top with a ponytail wrapped around yesterday's hair. She wandered down into the kitchen where Gold and Bae were getting ready to leave for the day. Bae brightened when he saw Belle.

"Hey ma-Belle," he said smiling. "What are you doing today?"

"The Emma Swan work out, apparently," Belle told him, setting her glass down on the table. "It involves wine and yoga."

"That sounds like fun," Bae smiled. "Will you be home for dinner?"

"Unless Emma kills me. Will you be home?"

Gold was holding his breath watching his son charm Belle. She didn't even realize what was happening, which made the situation that much more endearing to Gold. He shouldn't feel proud watching his son manipulate the woman they loved, but Bae was just like his father.

"I will be. We could make tacos?"

"I do like tacos."

Bae jumped up grinning ear to ear. "Awesome," he exclaimed before heading out. Gold smiled at Belle about to head after his son.

"Emma is waiting for you in the basement."

"Thanks," she smiled back, heading towards the basement. The moment her foot touched the landing she was punched in the stomach.

"What was that?!" She asked, doubled over. Ryan appeared from the shadow and hit her again, knocking her off her feet.

"Get up, Belle," he said. "Get up and fight me back."

"No," she wheezed, holding her stomach.

"Get up or I'm going to kill you. Defend yourself or die, Gold isn't going to ride in on a white horse and save you. No one is going to save you. Get up Belle."

Belle climbed to her feet, a little afraid of the man in front of her and how cold he sounded. She wasn't on her feet for a second when he hit her again. His face was intense and focused.

"I can't do this!" She shouted, trying to deflect his blows. Ryan slammed his foot into her, throwing her back.

"Then you die."

"I don't want any of this!" She shouted angrily. "You all want this!"

Ryan reached down and pulled her to her feet while pushing her up against a wall.

"I died for you!" He shouted, his face inches from hers. "You know what I want?! Solitude in death, not to be kicking the shit out of a whiny, spoiled princess with Daddy issues! You want to walk around pouting, poor me, I don't remember the life I fought so hard for, I don't remember the man who gave up his life for me so I could live it, boo damn who. Get it together, Belle."

He released her, leaving Belle staring after him, shaken.

"Why don't you go take ten before you hurt somebody," Emma suggested, appearing in the room. Ryan let out a howl of frustration as he stormed out.

"Did he really die for me?" Belle asked once she was sure he was gone.

"Yeah. Being resurrected is kind of messing with him, he used to really love you."

"But he doesn't anymore?"

"I don't think he can love, to be honest."

Working with Emma was much less terrifying. Emma had Belle sit in a chair as she probed through Belle's mind, trying to find the memories Mila had stolen and see if she could bring them back.

"I think I know where they are," Emma said after several hours, "But every time I try and see them I get thrown out."

"Is it even possible to get them back?" Belle asked, feeling a headache coming on.

"Yes. Think of it like...like a cut. We have to peel off the Band-Aid and get through the scarring-"

"Where did I leave my wine?" Belle cut off Emma, grossed out.

"We just need to get you healing yourself again! Once you're in control of your abilities I know you'll regain your memories."

"Well then, if that's all," Belle said sarcastically, indicating her cuts from the day before.

Belle and Emma spent the rest of the afternoon pricking Belle with a needle, trying to stop the bleeding. Belle didn't succeed once and was starting to feel defeated.

"It's just the first day," Emma said as they went up to the kitchen. "It's going to happen."

"And if doesn't?"

"It will. Stop thinking like that. I know somewhere in there you are fighting yourself to get out. Gold will be home in a minute and then I am going to go. Mary Margaret will be over tomorrow morning with Archie. It's gonna happen."

"Thanks."

Belle was cooking taco meat when Gold got home with Bae. Bae came running in, dropping his bag on the floor to look at what she was cooking.

"Smells good," Bae said breathlessly.

"Thanks," she smiled, watching as Bae began to shred lettuce. She wanted to make things right for this boy even more than she did for herself. She thought about that as Bae chattered about his day at school, friends he had and teachers he liked. Gold was in his study going through things, trying to find what Mila had taken from him. He had known what everyone called her that when they were growing up, but to him she would always he Emmeline. The mother of his son, the woman who had divorced him and still believed herself to be a tragic victim, forced into a life she didn't want. He had given Emmeline everything, a new life away from the family she hated, wealth, privilege, an uncontested divorce, custody of their son, and she still chose to fake her own death rather than muster the courage to just be honest. He could have forgiven her all that had she not deprived Bae of a mother twice in his life. It was entirely possible Belle never recovered her memory and left both him and Bae.

He would never forgive her that.

Belle and Bae decided to eat their tacos in front of the television so they could watch a movie. Gold had told her that movie watching were more of a Belle and Bae activity. Getting to know Bae was much easier than Gold because Bae did not have his heart on his sleeve the way Gold did. She felt like there was less pressure with Bae so she opened up more, talking to the boy as if she remembered what he meant to her.

"How is your training going?" Bae asked her during a quiet moment in the movie. Belle looked up, surprised.

"Not well," she admitted. She expected him to press her but he dropped it, going back to watching the movie. She was grateful for that.

Bae went up to bed a little after that, leaving Belle alone on the sofa with her thoughts. So much was riding on her getting her memories back. It wasn't just about being a step mother and a wife, but being with her friends and part of something bigger than herself.

"It's nice to see you two together," Gold commented, leaning against the door frame. She looked up at him and smiled, unsure of what to say to that.

"I just wanted to tell you good night."

"Hey! Wait!" She jumped up and scrambled after him. He paused on the stairs, waiting for her to catch up. She jogged up the stairs, stopping on the stair on top of his head. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," he agreed, looking up at her. Belle shifted her weight nervously, unsure if this was a good idea but it was too late to turn back now. He was looking up at her with calm, interested eyes which put her slightly more at ease.

"I was wondering if you would let me kiss you?" She bit her lower lip, watching as his entire demeanor changed. His facial expression froze, his posture stiffened and it didn't appear as if he was breathing. She was doubting herself when he relaxed.

"If you'd like," he said softly, walking up the remaining stairs. She followed him, stopping him on the landing.

"I meant now."

"Ah. Okay then." He turned to face her, his face carefully composed to reveal nothing. She was a little uncomfortable making the first move, but she knew he would never kiss her without her consent, so she needed to ask.

She leaned up on tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. She kept her hands at her sides, not expecting anything. For a moment everything was fine, it was no different from kissing a random stranger. She was about to pull away and tell him good night when the strangest feeling began blooming in her chest and spreading throughout her body. Involuntarily she brought her hand up to his neck as she deepened the kiss. Gold sighed into her mouth as he caressed her cheek. He broke the kiss and took a step back, his eyes guarded.

"Good night," he told her softly, stepping away.

"Night," she called back, watching him disappear behind his bedroom door. She walked down the hall to her own room, touching her fingertips to her lips. She had not expected the feeling that was now boiling under her skin. She laid in bed, tossing and turning, trying to get to sleep but she was unable to get that kiss out of her mind.

She flung the blankets off her and got out of bed. She wanted to go to see him but didn't want to wake him so she went back downstairs. On the sofa sitting in front of a muted television was Gold. When she walked in he looked up at her.

"Couldn't sleep," she said, coming to sit next to him. He pulled back the blanket he was under to share with her.

"Me either," he agreed.

"Is it always like that, for us?" She asked, keeping her eyes fixed on the television.

"Always," he said softly. She looked over at him and smiled softly.

"Stay with me tonight?"

"Always," he repeated, letting her rest her head against his shoulder. She turned the volume up on the family court show. They stayed where they were, watching the show, until Belle drifted off into sleep.

She woke up to Mary Margaret gently nudging her awake. She looked around and found she was alone in the room, save for Mary Margaret.

"I brought you juice and a bagel," Mary Margaret said softly, "For whenever you're ready."

Belle nodded gratefully. "I'm going to take a shower first."

She went quickly up to Gold's bedroom where he was tying a blood red tie in the mirror.

"Good morning," he said when he saw her. When he got a good look at her he turned around, surprise on his face.

"Belle...your face..."

She looked in the mirror and saw her cuts from Hooks attack were gone. She ripped the bandage off of her arm and found smooth skin. The material from the stitches was stuck to the sticky part of the bandage. She looked up at Gold, stunned.

"I don't know how I did it," she admitted. He was smiling at her.

"You will."

She took a quick shower and met Mary Margaret in the basement. Like the day before Ryan met her at the landing, but this time she was ready. He was still the more skilled fighter but she was able to dodge some of his blows.

"You're doing better," he told her with his cold indifference.

That became the theme of the next four days. Every day she got a little better in her fighting with Ryan and their sessions became longer. In the afternoon one of her friends would spend the day drawing blood and asking her to heal herself. What had once seemed impossible was now becoming easier. She had some control over her abilities, though she hadn't realized this until Ryan pulled knives out during their fight. Belle was afraid of him, afraid he would actually kill her. He had no problem slashing at her or stabbing her, and demand she heal herself while he continued to fight. Her friends had decided this was the best method because it was producing results, so they took turns attacking her. Ryan was the most effective because he was the most unpredictable. Belle had a good command on her healing although too much of it exhausted her. Her friends assured her this was normal.

On the day they decided to attempt to bring her memories back, Archie went missing. It had been Archie who planned to help her bring them out, being a psychologist. Ruby and David were out looking for him while Belle was training herself to heal others. It was Emma under Ryan's knife today, taking slashes while Belle healed her when it became too much. They didn't want to exhaust Belle so they were just shallow, superficial cuts, no more exhausting than healing a bruise.

Bae and Gold were home that day, Bae practically bouncing off the walls with excitement. Emma and Belle were coming upstairs in good spirits to eat lunch when Mary Margaret's phone rang. Belle and Emma ignored it in favor of the sandwiches Bae had made for them, unconcerned.

"This looks amazing," Emma complimented, stuffing half the sandwich in her mouth.

"Charming," Gold commented, watching Emma eat. Belle giggled, winking at Bae. Their good spirits were infectious.

"They found Archie," Mary Margaret said, pulling out a white latex suit. Emma was immediately out of her chair.

"Where?"

"Hook has him in an abandoned warehouse. Ruby sent directions but they need help."

"You stay here with Bae," Gold told Belle before dashing off for his own suit. Belle watched as Bae picked up the phone Mary Margaret's phone for a minute, and then sat back down.

"Your suit is in Dad's closet," Bae told her softly. Everyone was running out, wanting to meet up with David and Ruby as quickly as possible.

"They told us to stay here," Belle said practically.

"I have a power, too. Did you know?"

"Teleportation, yeah."

"What if I said I was going to go with or without you?"

Belle looked at Bae hard. "I'd say you better bring me with you."

"Then go put on your suit."

She was excited and nervous as she located the gold suit in the back of the closet. It was easy to get in to, and more comfortable than she expected. She had her boots and the mask on in moments, even lining her eyes dark to make her less recognizable. She was pulling her hair into a high pony tail when Ryan and Bae came up.

"I made that for you," Ryan said.

"It's comfortable," she said awkwardly, standing in front of him. "Are you coming?"

"I am. Ready?"

"Your Father is going to kill me," Belle said as she took Bae's other hand. Bae grinned up at her.

"You always say that but he never does. Let's go save Archie."

Before they left Ryan pulled out a large, curved knife and hooked it on Belle's belt. "For Hook," he said.

Bae transported them outside the warehouse. She and Ryan crept up to the window and looked in to see what they were up against. Inside Operation Scorpion was heavily outnumbered by more of the undead. She could see Hook standing on a second story landing, grinning at the carnage underneath him.

"Bae. You stay out here no matter what happens; do you understand? If anyone comes out here you leave."

"But-"

"Don't argue," Ryan snarled, shutting Bae's protests. Ryan and Belle split up. Belle had spotted emergency stairs that had to lead to the second story landing. After his attack on her, Belle wanted nothing more than to give Hook a rematch. She pulled the rusty stairs down, wincing at the noise, and began to quietly climb. They went up to the roof, but stopped at a window in the second story. The glass felt thin and easily breakable. Hook would hear her shattering it; that was unavoidable, so she needed to be quick about it. She leaned back and with more force than she knew she possessed, she kicked the glass in and flung herself through it. Hook spotted her immediately, his grin widening.

"Couldn't stay away, could you love? We have to be more careful or people will start to talk."

She pulled the knife out and held it in front of her. "This time it's an even fight."

"I hardly call it even," he smiled, taking the first swing. She blocked; her blade and hook clashing loudly. Below them Ryan had joined the fray with bloodthirsty enjoyment. It was also when the rest of Scorpion realized to kill the undead they would have to chop their heads off.

Gold couldn't help but look up, Hook was his target. He did not expect to see his wife, clad in her golden suit, fighting him with skill he didn't know she possessed. It was stunning.

Hook was relentless, and all the training she had done with Ryan had not prepared her for this. She had completely turned off her brain and was just going with it. Some of the moves she used were things she had never tried before but she didn't question it. She had pushed Hook back to the railing and had her knife pressed against his throat. This was it, she would cut it and they would be done with him.

"Well, get on with it then," Hook echoed her words from his earlier attack. She raised the knife when they warehouse doors blew open and more undead came flooding in, followed by Cora and Mila. Between them they were holding a struggling Bae. Gold was trying to get to his son but was overwhelmed by the amount of new undead.

Hook took advantage of her distraction, slicing up her back with his hook. The pain was overwhelming, blackening her vision momentarily. Things seemed to have slowed down as she focused on her wound. She knew Hook was above her, prepared to strike again but she couldn't move. Behind her eyes something felt like it was being ripped. She concentrated, sending her healing into overdrive, unaware she could cause herself to pass out.

Her vision exploded in blooming stars as memories began flooding back in. She staggered, kicking Hook off of her with violent force. She was running on pure adrenaline, jumping up to her feet and beating Hook back. When he hit the railing she pressed the knife hard against his throat while making eye contact with Mila. She was going to kill them both.

Cora was distracted by a fighter Belle didn't recognize, leaving Mila standing there with a gun pressed up against Bae's head. Belle added pressure to Hooks neck, drawing blood. Mila looked frantic as she made her way towards the stairs, forcing Bae to go with her.

"Let him go!" Mila said desperately, her eyes never leaving Hook.

"Let Bae go," Belle snarled.

"Okay, okay," Mila took the gun off of Bae's head. Belle pulled Hook up and shoved him towards Mila, knowing the three of them would be having a showdown regardless. It was her own sense of fairness that made her underestimate the people she was dealing with. As Bae crossed to her Belle watched Mila point the gun at Bae and pull the trigger.

"Not my son, you bitch!" Belle screamed, pulling Bae away as the gun fired. The bullet hit him in the back, sending him flying into her arms. Mila seemed stunned at what she had just done as they noise the bullet made echoed around the room. Beneath them Gold witnessed the entire thing. His fury exploded around him, causing windows to shatter and the heads of every undead around him to explode simultaneously.

"He couldn't have started with that?" David commented, unaware that Bae had just been shot.

"Go!" Hook was ushering Mila out and onto the roof. Belle could feel Bae on her hands as members of Operation Scorpion made their way up to them.

"They are getting away!" Belle shouted. David was running after them, Emma hot on his heels. Below Ryan stood, surrounded by the dead, looking despondent. Cora and the mysterious fighter in black were also gone.

Belle looked down at Bae, her hands on his body but she knew to heal all the damage she would need to get the bullet out.

"Bae? Bae can you hear me?" She asked urgently. Gold had gotten to them and was kneeling on the other side of his son.

"How bad is it?" He asked her, tears in his eyes.

She didn't need words to convey the gravity of the situation. Bae looked up at her, his brown eyes dull and out of focus.

"She...tricked me," He told her apologetically.

"It's okay. It's okay. Bae, can you get yourself home? I need to get you home..."

"Can we move him?" August asked as he accessed the situation.

"Too much bleeding," she said. Bae looked up at her, barely conscious.

"I can try."

"We'll meet you back at the house," Mary Margaret said. August was whispering in Bae's ear, calming him down and relaxing him enough to teleport back home.

Belle grabbed hold of Bae's hand as the boy squeezed his eyes shut and they were gone. They reappeared on the grounds of the house and Bae had passed out, the exertion too much for him. She was about five hundred feet from the door and she didn't have much time. She took off running at full force, aware that the adrenaline was starting to wear off. She pushed through, determined not to fail her son.

She found tweezers in her bathroom and a lighter in the kitchen. She was grateful for Gold's need for meticulous order as she ran back outside.

"I should have been a doctor," she muttered, gently turning Bae over. "Please don't move Bae. This is going to hurt, it's going to hurt, but it's okay. I promise, I've done this to myself before, it's okay. There, it's out. It's out," she talked him through it, pulling the bullet out and tossing it in the grass. Bae wasn't moving, barely breathing, as she put her hands on his body and pouring herself into him. Nothing had ever been so important, meant so much. The problem was how much damage on small piece of metal could do to one person. She could feel the extent under her hands and it would have been too much if she was completely rested. She concentrated on the worst parts, hoping if she could at least stop the bleeding, he would be okay when she eventually passed out. Bae was still breathing and Belle was barely hanging on. She kept going, even as her head became too heavy to hold up. She eventually passed out, her hands staying on him as she slept.

Gold got their first and found his son and wife both on the lawn. Bae's wound was still open but no longer bleeding. He carefully lifted the boy up into his arms as Ryan followed behind, gathering up Belle. Together they put each in their beds. No one knew she had her memories back with the exception of Belle, so Ryan put her in the room she had been staying in. He wanted to stay and wait for her to wake up so he could tell her goodbye, even if she didn't remember him, but being around other people for too long became too painful and his urges became too demanding to ignore. He would find her later when she woke up.

Gold allowed everyone to stay in his house because he knew Belle would want it, and because he couldn't bare to leave his son long enough to throw them out. Bae seemed stable but comatose and he had no idea it would take for Belle to wake up. He only hoped Bae would hold on for as long as it took her.

It took her two days. She woke up with a pounding headache and the driest throat. She was still in her torn, bloodied suit so she changed before heading down to the kitchen for some orange juice. The kitchen was empty, save for Ryan.

"You're awake," he said flatly.

She gulped down her glass of orange juice before responding. "Ryan."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Belle."

She moved across the room and hugged him, feeling him stiffen under her touch. "You remember."

"I remember."

"Better get up to your boy," he said nodding towards the stairs. "Its good to see you."

"We'll talk later," she promised, rushing for the stairs. He watched her sadly, though she never saw it.

She never heard his whispered goodbye, either.

Gold was reading when Belle came into Bae's room. "You're awake," he said as she sat on the edge of Bae's bed.

"I will fix this," she assured him. Gold stood up.

"I need to do something quickly," he told her softly, backing out.

"It'll take a little while," she promised. As she went to work to heal Bae, Gold walked out of the house and on the edge of the grounds, where Ryan was waiting for him.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Gold asked him seriously.

"I'm sure."

Gold nodded and took a step to Ryan, his hand raised.

"Take care of her," Ryan told him, braced for death.

"I will," Gold promised before flicking his wrist. He couldn't watch as blood began to pour from Ryan's eyes, ears, and nose, he knew what a melted brain looked like. It was over in a matter of moments; Ryan was at peace, just as he wanted.

He left Ryan in a coffin Ryan had prepared, he would bury him after he let Belle say goodbye. He was sure she would want to, even if she didn't remember what he meant to her.

Upstairs Bae was awake and Belle was giving him juice. Bae wasn't speaking, just holding Belle's hand.

"How are you feeling?" Gold asked his son. He could hear Bae's thoughts screaming at him, asking the same question over and over. How could his mother shoot him? Gold watched Bae replay the scene over in his head. The part that struck him most were Belle's words, _"Not my son, you bitch!" _and how she pulled him out of the way. The bullet was intended for Bae's head, instant death.

Mila and Hook would die. Mila first, for her betrayal, and then Hook.

"It's going to be okay, son," Gold told him, letting the boy cry into his shirt. Belle stepped out to give them a moment of privacy. She went back down to the kitchen to talk to Ryan, instead finding Emma, Jefferson, Archie, Mary Margaret, David, Ana, and Ruby all standing there.

"Hey," she smiled, happy to see them all. One by one they all hugged her, expressing their happiness that she was alive and well.

"Is Ryan in the basement? I want to talk..." she trailed off when Mary Margaret put her hand over her mouth to stifle a cry.

"Belle..." Archie began, but a memory of a conversation between Gold and Ryan in this very kitchen, a promise of death.

"Where?" She asked. She wouldn't let him do it. "Where is he?"

Mary Margaret began crying, unable to stop herself. "He's gone," Ruby told her. "They already did it. By the pond."

"No!" She screeched, running for the door.

"Belle!" David shouted from behind her. She knew they were following her so she ran hard. She didn't make it before David caught her, wrestling her to the grass.

"Get off me, get off me, get off-"

"Belle, stop it!" David shouted at her. "It's what he wanted, he knew you would try and stop him, Belle stop!"

"I wanted to make things right," she told David, his anger and fear devolving into sadness.

"You did," David promised her, helping her back to the house. Gold was waiting for her, his expression carefully guarded.

"We should give them some privacy," Emma said. Belle watched as everyone filed out quietly, unable to look at either of them.

"You...you remember?" He asked her hoarsely.

"How could you...without letting me tell him goodbye?" She asked, ignoring his question.

"You would have talked him out of it. He didn't want that."

She nodded although she didn't accept it.

"Do you hate me?" He asked her. She shook her head no.

"I love you," she told him, letting him pull her into an embrace.

"I love you too."

A war was coming; Cora's side had fired the first shot. She knew she couldn't count on any or all of them coming out alive, but for now they had each other. They could love. In that moment it felt like they were already winning.


End file.
